In the downhole exploration and completion arts, many operations are performed that require treatment fluids to be injected in to a formation surrounding a borehole. Some of those fluids will contain entrained particulate matter. These fluids are generically known as slurry fluids and have a number of purposes including creating gravel packs, acting as fracture fluids that include proppants to maintain the fractures open to flow, etc. In operations using fluids of this nature, it is important for the particulates to get to the position where they are needed but it is undesirable for the particulates to flow back into the borehole and tubing string in the borehole after the treatment process is concluded.
Sand screens are known for excluding particulate matter from entering a production flow. They are also known for use with fracturing operations to prevent sand, gravel, (generically particulates) etc. injected into the formation or liberated from the formation from flowing back into the borehole. Present art screens are effective in preventing flow of particulates through the screens itself but sometimes, for example in a fracturing operation as noted above, it is necessary to inject the sand and through the tubing and then not allow the sand back into the tubing. This has been done in various ways all involving openings for sand injection that are then closed and screens for allowing a liquid component of the slurry or a borehole fluid to pass into the tubing string without allowing the sand to pass. Such systems are quite functional but are complicated and dimensionally long. The art would well receive alternatives that are less complicated and function well.